Let this grass grow under your feet
Trees, plants, flowers, hedges, or climbers, though form the most important points of focus in a garden, do not give the landscape the sprawling green look that it needs.
Instead, a well-grown and well-groomed lawn, apart from providing relief to the eye, also renders a backdrop to the scenic splendour.
Lawn grass can be categorised according to form of availability, requirement of sunlight, and also according to the leaf size. “Grass in this part of the world cannot be grown from seed. You need to either plant the cuttings or use the turf forms. Jade Velvet Grass (Zoysia japonica), Korean Grass (Zoysia matarella), and Mexican Grass (Zoysia teunifolia) varieties are available in turf form whereas the rest should be sown through dibbling (sowing like paddy),” says M. Hussain from Plants Land Nursery.
Turf grass is available in patches of 1’X2’ and multiples of them may be acquired depending on the required size of the lawn.
However, a size of 2’X2’ should be preferred as it vouches against the existence of bad patches. Such sizes may be acquired from Bangalore if the city does not have them.
Turf grass is mostly passed off as carpet grass as the conditions here are not conducive to the commercial growth of the latter, says Mr. Hussain.
Most of the lawn grass varieties require good amounts of sunlight. However, there are a few varieties such as Paspylum, Kentucky blue, St. Augustine and St. Augustine Variegated that may be grown in partial shade too. On the other hand, Bermuda Grass, Calcutta Doob Grass, Fescue Grass, Jade Velvet Grass, Korean Grass, and Mexican Grass do require sunlight for fulsome growth.
Varieties such as Buffalo Grass (Paspylum notatum) and St.Augustine have broad leaves while all others have narrower leaves.
However, the appearance of a lawn is not as much affected by the leaf size as it is by the maintenance.
Buffalo Grass and St.Augustine may also be used where the soil has excessive salinity. St.Augustine Variegated does not look good when used in large expanses, but may be used where patterns are required.
“All lawn grasses require regular mowing for the perfect look. Varieties such as Bermuda, Calcutta Doob, Fescue, Kentucky Blue, Paspylum and St.Augustine may be done with a manual or 1 HP lawn mower. Grasses such as Jade Velvet, Korean and Mexican, due to their heavy growth, require a heavy duty lawn mower,” says Mr.Hussain.
Even those looking for thick carpet of grass cannot escape regular mowing, as the contrary will keep the lower segments of the grass away from sunlight which will in turn result in de-colouring. Trimming the edges, along with mowing, should be done regularly once in every eighth or tenth day.
Those hating patches within the lawn should do so once in every four or five days.
SWATHI V.,HYDERABAD
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